Why Chicago White Sox starter Quintana is struggling this season

Last Wednesday at Guaranteed Rate Field, director of amateur scouting Nick Hostetler during batting practice talked about the upcoming draft, and that appeared to be the big news of the day.

But Chicago White Sox media-relations representatives asked reporters to sit tight another 15-20 minutes for an additional announcement, and that sparked all kinds of instant speculation.

The most popular guess during the waiting period?

Starting pitcher Jose Quintana was going on the disabled list.

Facing the Boston Red Sox and ex-rotation mate Chris Sale the night before, Quintana was scorched for 7 runs on 10 hits (3 home runs) in 2⅔ innings, his shortest outing since Sept. 2, 2013, when he had to leave his start against the Yankees after 1 inning with an injury.

With a 2-7 record and 5.60 ERA through 11 starts this season, something had to be physically wrong with Quintana, right?

Apparently not.

Last week's news centered on veteran broadcaster Ken “Hawk” Harrelson, who is going to continue doing road games this season and announced he would do 20 home games next year and then retire.

That still begs the question: What's wrong with Quintana, one of the most consistent starting pitchers in the majors from 2013-16?

White Sox manager Rick Renteria offered the obvious theory.

“He's not hitting his spots,” Renteria said. “His stuff is coming back over the middle, and obviously when you have really good hitters, big-league hitters, they're going to take advantage of that. Everybody's still working on finding out what it is that's leading him to leave pitches out over the plate a little bit more than anybody's accustomed to.

“His velocity is the same. When we look at some of the video and some of the outcomes, he's definitely missing some spots and they're taking advantage of it. We're simply looking at how we can clean it up.”

Kevan Smith, who caught Quintana in the loss to Boston, said the 28-year-old lefty will be fine once he gets his confidence back.

“Just up in the zone,” Smith said. “I told him when he's successful, he lives in that zone, knee to shins. We're just a foot or two, or six inches above that. And then you see when he really starts thinking about it, then we start losing control and missing almost too far down.

“It's just one of those things where we've got to get the confidence back. It's just like hitting. He has the stuff obviously, we've all seen it. He's going to go out each day, work hard and get back to the Q we all know.”

Quintana blamed his struggles on a few “bad sequences,” and he has been studying videos in advance of Tuesday night's start at Tampa Bay.

For the past year, Quintana has been the subject of countless trade rumors. Has that talk pulled him off his game?

“I'd venture to say that there's not going to be anybody in that clubhouse that makes an excuse for anything that's going on for them between the lines,” Renteria said. “I do believe that when I talk to those guys they're not too consumed about it. They know it exists.

“In talking to those guys about it on a daily basis, though, it's not something that's a topic of conversation with them.”

Scouting report

White Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field

TV: WGN Tuesday; Comcast SportsNet Wednesday and Thursday

Radio: WLS 890-AM

Pitching matchups: The Sox's Jose Quintana (2-7) vs. Chris Archer (4-3) Tuesday; Mike Pelfrey (2-4) vs. Jake Odorizzi (3-3) Wednesday; Derek Holland (4-5) vs. Alex Cobb (4-5) Thursday. All games start at 6:10 p.m.

At a glance: The White Sox dropped three straight at Detroit over the weekend, extending their losing streak to five games. The Sox were 4-3 vs. the Rays last season (1-2 at Tropicana Field). Quintana is 1-3 with a 3.27 ERA in 6 career starts vs. Tampa Bay. The Rays lost three straight at Seattle over the weekend and were outscored by the Mariners 28-7. Heading into Monday's play, Tampa Bay designated hitter Corey Dickerson was third in the American League with a .336 batting average and White Sox right fielder Avisail Garcia was tied for fourth at .330.

Next: Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field, Friday-Sunday

— Scot Gregor

No way, Jose

A statistical look at White Sox starter Jose Quintana over the last five seasons:

2013: 9-7, 3.51 ERA, 200 IP, 188 H, 23 HR, 1.22 WHIP

2014: 9-11, 3.32 ERA, 200 ⅓ IP, 197 H, 10 HR, 1.24 WHIP

2015: 9-10, 3.36 ERA, 206 ⅓ IP, 218 H, 16 HR, 1.27 WHIP

2016: 13-12, 3.20 ERA, 208 IP, 192 H, 22 HR, 1.16 WHIP

2017: 2-7, 5.60 ERA, 64 ⅓ IP, 66 H, 10 HR, 1.40 WHIP